--- title: "Venture Capital Berlin — a founder's guide · Mauerkatze" description: "How the Berlin VC ecosystem works: investor types, pitch process, valuations and common mistakes — from angel investor Finn Hänsel." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Venture Capital Berlin — a founder's guide · Mauerkatze", "description": "How the Berlin VC ecosystem works: investor types, pitch process, valuations and common mistakes — from angel investor Finn Hänsel.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Finn Hänsel", "alternateName": "Finn Age Hänsel", "url": "https://mauerkatze.de/" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Mauerkatze Berlin", "url": "https://mauerkatze.de/" }, "mainEntityOfPage": "https://mauerkatze.de/guide/venture-capital-berlin", "inLanguage": "en" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I find the right VC in Berlin?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Filter by stage (pre-seed/seed/Series A), sector focus (SaaS, HealthTech, ClimateTech etc.) and ticket size — Berlin VCs usually communicate this openly on their websites. A warm intro via other founders or operator angels almost always beats a cold outreach." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is a typical Berlin angel ticket?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Individual angels in Berlin typically invest between 25,000 and 150,000 EUR. Operator angels with exit experience, like Mauerkatze, can also provide larger tickets or structured co-investments." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need a GmbH or is a UG enough?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For institutional VC rounds a GmbH is the standard. A UG works for a first angel round but is typically converted into a GmbH by Series A at the latest." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Mauerkatze", "item": "https://mauerkatze.de/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Guide", "item": "https://mauerkatze.de/guide/venture-capital-berlin" } ] } ] --- [About](/en#about)[Portfolio](/en#portfolio)[Contact](/en#contact) DE/ EN [Back to Mauerkatze](/en) Guide · Berlin # Venture capital in Berlin A hands-on guide for founders raising capital from angel investors and VC funds in Berlin — from the perspective of Mauerkatze, the investment vehicle of Finn Hänsel (Sanity Group exit, Movinga). ## Venture capital in Berlin — the overview Alongside London and Paris, Berlin is Europe's most important VC ecosystem. The city combines a dense network of early-stage investors, family offices, corporate ventures and internationally active funds. Anyone seeking capital should understand which investor types are relevant for which stage and how a professional pitch in Berlin actually works. ## Which investors are active in Berlin Pre-Seed to Seed: angel investors (often founders themselves with exit experience), specialised pre-seed funds and accelerators. Series A & B: classic Berlin VCs and international funds with an office in Berlin. Growth stage: growth funds, private-equity-backed vehicles and strategic corporate investors. As Finn Hänsel's angel and early-stage vehicle, Mauerkatze is part of this ecosystem — investing directly as well as an LP in specialised funds. ## How a pitch works in Berlin Most Berlin VCs expect a 10–15 slide pitch deck with a clear problem/solution, market size, traction, team and funding ask. First contact almost always runs through a warm introduction — cold emails have a much lower hit rate. Founders without direct access can get in via startup events (e.g. Bits & Pretzels Berlin Edition, Berlin Demo Days), founder communities or operator angels. ## Valuation and term sheet — what to watch Typical pre-money valuations in Berlin are 2–6M EUR at pre-seed and 8–20M EUR at seed. Pay attention to liquidation preference (standard: 1x non-participating), anti-dilution (broad-based weighted average), vesting (4 years with a 1-year cliff for founders) and option pool size (10–15% post-round). Always have term sheets reviewed by a law firm experienced with VC deals. ## Common fundraising mistakes Approaching too many investors in parallel too early without a structured process. Unrealistic pre-seed valuations. A cap table with too many small holders that blocks later rounds. No clear use of funds. A missing founder-market-fit story. Addressing these points upfront materially increases the odds of a concrete term sheet. ## Frequently asked questions How do I find the right VC in Berlin? Filter by stage (pre-seed/seed/Series A), sector focus (SaaS, HealthTech, ClimateTech etc.) and ticket size — Berlin VCs usually communicate this openly on their websites. A warm intro via other founders or operator angels almost always beats a cold outreach. What is a typical Berlin angel ticket? Individual angels in Berlin typically invest between 25,000 and 150,000 EUR. Operator angels with exit experience, like Mauerkatze, can also provide larger tickets or structured co-investments. Do I need a GmbH or is a UG enough? For institutional VC rounds a GmbH is the standard. A UG works for a first angel round but is typically converted into a GmbH by Series A at the latest. ## Talk to Mauerkatze Building a startup in Berlin that fits our investment profile (pre-seed to seed, tech business model)? Send us a short description and your deck. [hello@mauerkatze.de](mailto:hello@mauerkatze.de?subject=Pitch%20%E2%80%94%20Mauerkatze)[View portfolio](/en#portfolio) © 2026 Mauerkatze Berlin All rights reserved [VC Berlin Guide](/en/guide/venture-capital-berlin)[Baltic Sea stays](https://villa-boreal.de)[Cape Town stays](https://villa-austral.com)